Legis Daily

Improving Veteran Access to Care Act

USA119th CongressS-607| Senate 
| Updated: 12/19/2025
Margaret Wood Hassan

Margaret Wood Hassan

Democratic Senator

New Hampshire

Cosponsors (3)
Jerry Moran (Republican)John Boozman (Republican)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)

Veterans' Affairs Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This bill, titled the "Improving Veteran Access to Care Act," requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated project team within the Veterans Health Administration and the Office of Information and Technology. The primary purpose of this team is to significantly improve the process for scheduling healthcare appointments for veterans. This initiative aims to enhance the timely delivery of care, improve access to services, elevate the customer experience, and increase efficiency within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The integrated project team is tasked with several key objectives. These include developing a comprehensive scheduling system that allows both VA personnel and patients to view all available appointments across all providers, clinics, and types of care. Furthermore, the team must create a self-service scheduling platform enabling patients to fully schedule, cancel, and reschedule appointments, including a mechanism for referral requests. The bill also mandates a process for veterans to speak directly with a scheduler by phone for assistance. The team's efforts must coordinate with the Electronic Health Record Modernization Program, but without causing delays in deploying new scheduling capabilities. The team must be established within 180 days, and its objectives completed within one year of the bill's enactment. The Secretary is required to report to Congress on implementation progress and any objectives that cannot be met, ensuring transparency and accountability. Importantly, the bill clarifies that veterans retain the option to schedule appointments directly through non-online methods.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
3 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-5624
Improving Veteran Access to Care Act
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Feb 18, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mar 11, 2025
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
Jul 30, 2025
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Nov 20, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-6038
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Dec 2, 2025
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Moran with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. Without written report.
Dec 2, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 272.
Dec 18, 2025
Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8898-8899; text: CR S8898-8899)
Dec 18, 2025
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
Dec 19, 2025
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Dec 19, 2025
Received in the House.
Dec 19, 2025
Held at the desk.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-5624
    Improving Veteran Access to Care Act


  • February 18, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 18, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • March 11, 2025
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.


  • July 30, 2025
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • November 20, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-6038
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.


  • December 2, 2025
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Moran with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. Without written report.


  • December 2, 2025
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 272.


  • December 18, 2025
    Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8898-8899; text: CR S8898-8899)


  • December 18, 2025
    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.


  • December 19, 2025
    Message on Senate action sent to the House.


  • December 19, 2025
    Received in the House.


  • December 19, 2025
    Held at the desk.

Armed Forces and National Security

Computers and information technologyCongressional oversightHealth care coverage and accessHealth information and medical recordsHealth programs administration and fundingTelephone and wireless communicationVeterans' medical care

Improving Veteran Access to Care Act

USA119th CongressS-607| Senate 
| Updated: 12/19/2025
This bill, titled the "Improving Veteran Access to Care Act," requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated project team within the Veterans Health Administration and the Office of Information and Technology. The primary purpose of this team is to significantly improve the process for scheduling healthcare appointments for veterans. This initiative aims to enhance the timely delivery of care, improve access to services, elevate the customer experience, and increase efficiency within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The integrated project team is tasked with several key objectives. These include developing a comprehensive scheduling system that allows both VA personnel and patients to view all available appointments across all providers, clinics, and types of care. Furthermore, the team must create a self-service scheduling platform enabling patients to fully schedule, cancel, and reschedule appointments, including a mechanism for referral requests. The bill also mandates a process for veterans to speak directly with a scheduler by phone for assistance. The team's efforts must coordinate with the Electronic Health Record Modernization Program, but without causing delays in deploying new scheduling capabilities. The team must be established within 180 days, and its objectives completed within one year of the bill's enactment. The Secretary is required to report to Congress on implementation progress and any objectives that cannot be met, ensuring transparency and accountability. Importantly, the bill clarifies that veterans retain the option to schedule appointments directly through non-online methods.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
3 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-5624
Improving Veteran Access to Care Act
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Feb 18, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mar 11, 2025
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
Jul 30, 2025
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Nov 20, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-6038
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Dec 2, 2025
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Moran with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. Without written report.
Dec 2, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 272.
Dec 18, 2025
Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8898-8899; text: CR S8898-8899)
Dec 18, 2025
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
Dec 19, 2025
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Dec 19, 2025
Received in the House.
Dec 19, 2025
Held at the desk.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-5624
    Improving Veteran Access to Care Act


  • February 18, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 18, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • March 11, 2025
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.


  • July 30, 2025
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • November 20, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-6038
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.


  • December 2, 2025
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Moran with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. Without written report.


  • December 2, 2025
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 272.


  • December 18, 2025
    Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8898-8899; text: CR S8898-8899)


  • December 18, 2025
    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.


  • December 19, 2025
    Message on Senate action sent to the House.


  • December 19, 2025
    Received in the House.


  • December 19, 2025
    Held at the desk.
Margaret Wood Hassan

Margaret Wood Hassan

Democratic Senator

New Hampshire

Cosponsors (3)
Jerry Moran (Republican)John Boozman (Republican)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)

Veterans' Affairs Committee

Armed Forces and National Security

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Computers and information technologyCongressional oversightHealth care coverage and accessHealth information and medical recordsHealth programs administration and fundingTelephone and wireless communicationVeterans' medical care